The Circle of Light

Hecate (The Greeks spelt it Hekate), according to the Wisdom of the Earth: Encyclopedia of The Goddess was 'the Death Goddess, Crone Mother, and known "Queen of Witches" in Christian myth and legend'. She is thought to have descended from the Egyptian Hekat (Also known as Heket or Heqit) who was a wise woman, a priestess who held the sacred "Mother's Word of Power," (The Hakau). Many people are under the impression that she is of a Greek origin but she is actually not, she is Thracian of origin, however she was placed into the Greek and Roman pantheons. All forms of the Triple Goddess have been associated with the moon in some way. According to the Greeks she was the 'Queen of the Ghosts and the Crossroads'. She was known also as the giver or rain and harvest storms and her major festival, in Greek times, was on August the 13th. She was also known as the destroyer and, during those times, newborn children and animals were sacrificed to her. Times have changed now and his is mostly no longer done. According to the ancient Greeks, death was simply a continuation of the cycle of life and therefore played an important part in life. She ruled death as an equal portion of the lifecycle from creation through destruction through creation again.

Hecate is known as the Triple Goddess. To the Romans this was made up of Diana, Persephone and Hecate. To the Greeks this triple Goddess was made up of Persephone, Demeter and Hecate. Hecate was to both Greek and Romans the Goddess of the Crossroads, where the traveler would face three choices in their life. Often, when coming to a crossroad, people would leave a food offering under a statue of her.

She seems to be most well known, however, as the Moon Goddess. The dark of the moon is often shown to symbolize illumination, divination and the powers of healing. Many portray her as the ancient hag but this has been shown to be an incorrect depiction as in ancient societies she was considered a "Holy Woman," or "Wise woman" who knew the wise ways of nature, healing, divination and civilized arts.

She is also known under the ancient titles Propylaia (The one before the gate), Propolos (The attendant who leads), Phosphoros (The light bringer), Kourotrophos (Child's nurse) and Chthonia, which translates simply as "of the Earth," but would seem to imply Goddess of the Earth.

Many recent books written by and for pagans tend to portray her as a beneficent Goddess of the Moon, magic, and Witches in the positive sense. Many are returning to the ancient Pagan religion of the Great Goddess in all her aspects: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. These names stand for her different aspects as the life-giver, life-sustainer and life-destroyer. Her symbol is the torch. For she is said to hold the light, which 'illuminates the unconscious and reveals its treasures'.